


Terminal

by FireFaceOutlook



Series: 10 Days of LawLu, 2k17 [2]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Hanahaki Disease, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 13:36:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,365
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11037261
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FireFaceOutlook/pseuds/FireFaceOutlook
Summary: He felt like maybe he would be alright with being in a relationship with Luffy as opposed to just a friendship.





	Terminal

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N: This was originally titled "Trust," but I felt like it didn't fit the story as well? This feels so rushed... But I did the best I could. I never did a hanahaki disease story before. I might do it again, for a different ship. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy!**

Law had only caught a glimpse of him across the quaint little coffee shop he stopped at every morning before he was due to be at the hospital the day it began. He was impossible to miss with his straw hat, loud voice and even louder laugh, and unbuttoned shirt. He was surrounded by equally unusual people, yet before Law could turn away, those dark brown eyes darted to his and an impossibly wide smile stretched tan cheeks and scrunched up the obvious scar under the left eye before the boy's attention was recaptured by his friends. The glance left a weird feeling in his chest and a tickle built in the back of his throat. As he left the shop, very pointedly avoiding looking at the boy's table, he had to pause outside the door to couch into his fist. As he pulled his hand away, he found two lavender petals stuck to his fingers. His watch beeped and he wiped the petals away to ponder later as he hurried to be on time for his long shift. Later that night – or early the next morning, for some people – with two stressing heart surgeries under his belt, all thoughts of the petals had long since been wiped from his mind.

  


A week later found one Monkey D. Luffy on Law's surgery table. He vaguely recognized the boy, not that it effected his efficiency in putting the wrecked chest cavity back together. There were many moments in which Law thought he'd lost his patient, but Luffy proved to be very stubborn and clung to life. It was the most difficult surgery Law had ever had to do, but in the end, Luffy was safe. The relief Law felt was almost staggering and he had to excuse himself as the straw hatted boy was moved to the ICU. He felt queasy and thought he would be sick – he's never felt nauseous after a surgery before, but there was a first for everything – but he was struck by a coughing fit instead. He doubled over a sink in the bathroom he'd retreated to and hacked until he could breathe again. The white sink was layered with purple petals that he scooped up and tossed into the trash.

Later, in the safe isolation of his apartment, he researched his unusual symptoms, but all that kept popping up was ridiculous nonsense about unrequited love. He tossed his laptop aside in frustration and decided that he would just deal with whatever mysterious illness he was stuck with until it passed.

  


It didn't pass. In fact, it only seemed to get worse as his friendship with Luffy developed. Luffy, after six months of absence, dropped back into Law's life and refused to leave. He was determined to befriend Law and for some reason, the surgeon couldn't say no. But as they grew closer, their friendship growing stronger than any bond Law had ever made with previous friends, Law got sicker and sicker. He was near constantly coughing up petals by the end of the day and it was no longer just purple petals, but blue ones. And as his friendship with Luffy threatened to bloom into something more (something he'd been afraid to allow with previous men he'd known), he was beginning to think that the results he'd gotten for his disease were right.

  


Around the time that the petals began coming out specked with blood, Luffy began suspecting that something was wrong.

“Are you sure you're okay?” Luffy asked as they sat at the public pool (despite Law's reservations about being somewhere where kids were prone to urinating in the water), their feet submerged because neither could swim.

Law knew he was pale, perhaps as pale as he had been as a child with an almost-terminal disease. “Yeah.” He cleared his throat – he'd been fairly successful at not coughing up petals around Luffy. “Just under the weather.”

Luffy frowned, obviously not believing him, but they went through their day together and Luffy walked Law home, as always. Law wasn't able to prevent himself from coughing as they mounted the steps of the building, however, and in the dim light, he saw that the petals were coated almost completely with blood. Luffy grabbed his hand before he could hide them, giving Law a stern look.

“You're not okay!” he accused with a loud voice. “I knew it!”

Law hushed him, too tired to be irritated, and allowed Luffy to come up with him to his room. (Not that Luffy would've let him just go in by himself like nothing was wrong.) They sat on the couch together and Law told Luffy about how the disease began and spread, only interrupted once by more petals and blood.

“So it's my fault...” Luffy mumbled dejectedly.

“No, Luffy-ya--”

“But I'll find out how to fix it!” he added with an expression of complete determination.

Law shook his head – he was sure that there was no cure, and he hadn't been able to find one, no matter how far he dug into the internet – but didn't bother protesting because once Luffy's mind was made up, there was usually no talking him out of it. Luffy ended up staying the night, but the next day he took off soon after Law was up, but not before forcing Law to call in for a few days off.

  


“Torao!”

Law flinched as his door slammed open and he began coughing, almost unable to stop. He was lightheaded when he finally managed to calm himself and Luffy was gripping his shoulders tightly, looking very concerned.

“Are you okay?”

“Fine,” Law croaked. His chest felt too tight and his lungs burned. His throat felt clogged and scratchy, as if he had rose thorns digging into it. But he didn't want to worry Luffy any more than he had been for the last week.

Luffy gave him a stern look, obviously able to tell that he was lying, but shook his head and sat next to him, expression clearing to one of excitement.

“I know how to cure you!”

Law was stunned. “Wha--”

“Robin and Chopper helped me search and Robin found a really old book that had a disease in it that was described just like yours. It said that it was caused by love that wasn't returned.” Luffy looked sad for a moment, but was grinning cheerfully the next. “So all we have to do is have whoever you like kiss you!”

Law felt like his lungs had been overtaken by the petals. He could hardly breathe.

“So,” Luffy continued, “who is it? Kidd? He's kind of a jerk, though, isn't he? How about Smoker? Or Pen--”

“Luffy-ya, it's none of them,” Law sighed. “Isn't there any other way to cure me?”

“Well...Chopper suggested surgery, but it's very dangerous,” Luffy explained. “And you'll lose all your feelings towards whoever you like.”

Law wasn't sure what was worse – to have his feelings rejected by Luffy and die (because he knew he would die if he didn't do something about it) or to have the disease and feelings for Luffy removed and feel dead inside. Law noticed Luffy staring at him with more of a focused expression than he'd ever seen on the hyperactive teen.

“Torao... It's me, isn't it?”

Law wasn't sure what gave it away – was he looking at Luffy while pondering his options? While wondering if death would be better than to lose what he and Luffy had? He didn't reply and Luffy seemed to take his silence as an answer because he nodded decisively.

“Alright.” Then the seriousness melted away to make way for the excitement Luffy usually reserved for a large meal. “Good!”

Law felt like his mind was short-circuiting, and he hardly reacted as Luffy's hands moved from his shoulders to his face. He felt his breath catch as Luffy moved closer but before he could begin coughing, Luffy's lips were on his own and not only did he feel like he could breathe clearly for the first time in two years, but he felt like maybe he would be alright with being in a relationship with Luffy as opposed to just a friendship.

**Author's Note:**

> **A/N: Alright, as for the rose petals that Law coughed up, the first ones, lavender, stand for "love at first sight," while later on, he also began coughing up blue ones, which means "I can't have you but I can't stop thinking about you."**


End file.
